Warmest of greetings, everyone, from the University Museum and Faulkner’s Rowan Oak. The entire professional staff and I want to extend our heartfelt best wishes to you and your families for continued safety, health, and well-being in this challenging period. We remain entirely focused on serving the University’s three-part mission of Teaching, Research, and Service, while simultaneously taking a very measured and cautious public health-forward approach to access and re-opening.
Commencing with the start of the Fall semester on August 24, the Museum has been accessible to University faculty, students, and research scholars by advance appointment ¬— information for all members of the UM academic community can be found here. Also available for community access are the landscape and grounds of William Faulkner’s Rowan Oak, which are entirely open for strolling and self-touring appreciation of the horticulture and outbuildings that survive intact from Faulkner’s own lifetime. Along with the adjacent Bailey Woods Trail connecting Rowan Oak to the Museum, these compelling and serene outdoor settings are open, free of cost from dawn to dusk, 7 days a week.
Those of you who have in recent weeks followed this monthly newsletter, our website, and our social media platforms will have awareness of our steadfast intent to remain available to you, and to provide online content to you and your families of widely varying types and formats. You will see a spectrum of these virtual, ‘museum-at-home’ offerings as you scroll the newsletter pages below. Their fascinating range of content, their sense of humor, and their reflection of the Museum’s commitment to public service to our community are a tribute to the hard-working and highly dedicated professional staff who develop and implement new ideas weekly.
There may be no better time or moment to commend the creativity of the Museum team than this era of adaptation and flexible adjustment. Please stay in contact with us to see how they have met the challenge of keeping a museum relevant, meaningful, and accessible by remote. And please also feel free to reach out directly by calling the Museum’s front desk at 662-915-7073, Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Each of us is here for you, to answer any questions you may have, or to make note of information or e-content that you wish to see explored for the future.
I’d like to close this month’s comments with a highly enthusiastic plug for a fabulous upcoming public program celebrating Halloween and the beautiful context and grounds of the Museum’s Walton-Young House. And I must add to those descriptors, spooky! Please join us for the University Museum’s First Annual Pumpkin Carving Contest, ‘Stark Raving Pumpkin Carving’, with a sign-up deadline of October 23 and online registration here. Celebrity judges will constitute our jack-o-lanterns jury, and the carved entries will be displayed on the grounds and front porch of the house, October 29 to November 1. Adding substantially to the merriment and terror will be illuminated Walton-Young bay window displays of Museum collection items of a particularly haunting, though artistic, character.
A word to the wise that a night time drive-by or walk-by of the Walton-Young house during the month of October may compel you to come closer. While I can assure your safety, I can equally predict your being awestruck. For the sake of surprise, I dare say no more!
With sincere gratitude always for your enduring support and interest in your University museum and our literary heritage site Rowan Oak.
Robert Saarnio
Museum Director
Hear Our Latest News First!